Islanders star John Tavares took a shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.

Q: Tell me about your Stanley Cup dream.
A: It’s changed quite a bit. When I was 7, 8 years old, I thought I’d be playing for the Maple Leafs, but obviously now I can’t stand ’em. … It’d just be, I guess, you score the winning goal on home ice, and obviously it’s a big celebration with everyone that was a part of it to help you get here, and obviously with the guys you go through it with, and obviously with the fan base and the great people in our community here.

Q: Do you remember when Mark Messier won it with the Rangers in 1994?
A: I do remember it, yeah. Trevor Linden scored to make it close in the third, I think.

Q: How old were you?
A: I was 4.

Q: So how could you remember it?
A: I watched a lot of hockey videos, too. That year the Leafs lost to Vancouver as well in the third round, to get to the Finals too. I remember still watching Leaf games with my dad from probably 2 ½, 3 years old, my first memories really, is sitting on Saturday nights, Hockey Night in Canada, with my dad watching the Leafs.

Q: Watching Messier holding that Cup is the epitome of joy.
A: Yeah, I wish I could describe it for you. I certainly hope that it’s very soon. Obviously, it gives you chills every time you see the new Stanley Cup champion every year, or anyone in the past, or you know what some guys have been through and what they’ve taken to get there. … It’s something you work your whole life for, and if you’re lucky enough to achieve that, I’m sure those 15, 20 seconds the first time you life that Cup, there’s probably no feeling like it.

Q: Every captain has his own style of leadership. What’s yours?
A: I think it’s just to be who I am. I don’t think I try to look at a certain captain and want to be a certain style. I’ve been given this responsibility because of who I am, and the way I’ve been able to develop my game, and myself as a person, my comfort level in the locker room and with the coaching staff and with everyone around the organization. And obviously to have that respect from the community, the fans and everyone on this team and within this organization is something I truly am humbled by and don’t take for granted. So I think it’s just to not change who I am. I’ve always been very driven and trying to achieve more and never being satisfied with what I’ve been able to do.

Q: Is it fun being you, or is sometimes a burden?
A: No, it’s fun. There’s just no burden. Obviously, there’s a lot more attention than maybe the average citizen may have, but you work so hard to be here, you’re so lucky to play a game for a living, and to be in the position you’re in to do the things you do, there’s nothing better. You know, you grow up as a kid, playing this game, and it’s just a game, and you love it so much, and then obviously, it becomes a lot more because it also becomes your job. But to do something that you’re excited to get up and do every day and without question, you don’t even hesitate, it’s pretty special. So I enjoy everything about it.

Q: What’s it like when you’re recognized?
A: When I was really young, it could be a little awkward, but I guess it all depends on people’s reactions (smile). Sometimes people make more of a scene. I think you get more comfortable the more you get it, and you understand how to handle those things. But I think it’s kind of routine now, I think you get used to those things, and it doesn’t bother you a whole lot.

Q: When you’re out to dinner, people come over and ask for autographs?
A: Yeah at times.

Q: And how do you handle that?
A: I don’t have a problem. Obviously you just hope people be respectful and honest. I think if I was to see someone that I admired a lot, you consider wanting to say hi, or grab a picture. I don’t think there’s any harm in that. Obviously a lot of people are big fans, and I think you appreciate their support or how much they like the sport. … It’s not something you ever think of when you’re a kid to have that, but you’re pretty lucky people look up to you, or appreciate what you do.

Q: Why do you think you don’t feel the pressure of being the face of a franchise?
A: I guess it’s just because I know I can’t do it all on my own. Without the group in here, we’re not gonna be able to achieve anything just by me producing or trying to handle every responsibility on the ice and being counted on for so much, we need everyone going. … That’s why I don’t really try to put overall too much pressure on myself because I know I need my teammates to achieve what we want to achieve.

Q: Describe your on-ice mentality.
A: Just very driven, never satisfied, just always hungry for more. Whether you have three goals, you want that fourth one, or you have four, you want five. Even when you play well, you’re always looking for things that maybe could have been a little bit better.

Q: What drives you?
A: Well obviously to be a champion, to be successful … so obviously to win the Stanley Cup, it’s the ultimate goal, it’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid. And then also individually, you always try and get better and push yourself to challenge against the best players in the league and playing against these guys every night to come out on top.

Q: Mike Modano was a boyhood idol?
A: I used to love Mike Modano because of the way he could skate and make plays at high speed. I used to love Joe Sakic the way he could shoot the puck and find the net. Steve Yzerman was just an overall great player. Obviously you always admired a couple of the greatest ever in [Wayne] Gretzky and [Mario] Lemieux and guys like that. I used to love Mats Sundin and Doug Gilmour ’cause they used to play for the Leafs, and Sundin was such a dominant force on the ice ’cause of his size and such a great backhand, so I liked so many guys for different things they did.

Q: You enjoy being a bachelor on Long Island?
A: Well, I do have a girlfriend back up in Canada, so she keeps me honest (smile), and we’ve been together for almost a couple of years now. It’s gone really well, and I’m happy with where I’m at.

Q: Describe your mom.
A: Very strong woman … someone who can be very protective, but not overly protective. … She just seems to handle situations very well. She understands people very well, and has always been a very giving person as well, very caring, but very strong. Hopefully those things kinda rubbed off on me in some way or another.

Q: Do you think you’re more like your mom or your dad?
A: I think I’m a lot like both. My mom is more loud and outgoing than my dad, where my dad’s more kinda quiet and shy. … [When he gets] to know you, then he gets more comfortable, and I say that’s more like me. When we have family over, people over at the house when I was a kid, she always loved to have a good time, and always liked a good party, a good atmosphere and having everyone together, and I think I enjoy the same thing. But she can be very outgoing that way. When she laughs, you definitely know when she’s laughing, and I’d say I’m probably the same way that way. But when I meet someone or get to know someone, I’m always probably a little bit more reserved like my dad, a little quiet until I get more comfortable.

Q: Your Uncle John.
A: Obviously a big role model, and someone who I’ve really looked up to and appreciated for so long, and was always wanting to be a lacrosse player. Because of him, I loved the game so much, and then thought I could play both when I was 10 years old, I don’t know how I thought I was gonna be able to that (chuckle).

Q: What was it like scoring 72 goals and breaking Gretzky’s record as a 16-year-old?
A: It was hard to believe a little bit. You just don’t go out to break records when you play, you go out there and play to try to win. Obviously, one of my biggest assets is to score goals and produce. To do something like that, I think you’re a little bit stunned, because you’re just trying to go out there and score and help your team win and capitalize on your chances. To look back on it now, I’d say I’m, just really proud to be able to accomplish something like that, the greatest player to ever play, to accomplish something that he’s done and come out on top, I take a lot of pride in it.

Q: Fantasy football question: Matthew Stafford or Nick Foles?
A: I like Stafford’s consistency. If Calvin Johnson’s in, you gotta start [Stafford]. [The Lions are] really good at home. … That’s a toss-up. I like Foles, too. I picked up Foles in one of my leagues, too. But I’m a little bit of a Stafford fan. I like him a lot as a player. I always like watching Detroit.

Q: You don’t go to Jets or Giants games, do you?
A: I try to. I haven’t been to any yet this year. Obviously I didn’t get to any because of the lockout, but the year before I went to probably three or four games?

Q: Giants or Jets?
A: Both.

Q: Any favorite players?
A: I always liked Darrelle Revis when he was there. On the Giants, I always liked [Ahmad] Bradshaw. I like Eli [Manning], too. I think Eli’s a good quarterback, obviously tough year, but I think he’s obviously a winner. I always go watch other guys play too, like I saw [Michael] Vick play, DeSean Jackson, obviously great athletes so, when they played the Giants a couple of years ago, I saw them play. Saw the Bills play the Giants — unfortunately a Bills fan right now (smile). I’m from Toronto … and obviously it’s been quite a few years (chuckle) since when I was a big Doug Flutie fan and he was ripping up the CFL and then led them to their last playoff appearance.

Q: Other athletes in other sports you admire?
A: Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett, those guys are pretty special athletes, I think. I’m a big fan of Tiger Woods in golf as well. … I’m a big Jose Bautista fan, very talented but he works hard. … Adrian Peterson as well, he’s pretty special, I love to see him play.

Q: Would you pay to see John Tavares play hockey?
A: (Chuckle). Would I? Not yet. Maybe one day.

Q: Why not yet?
A: I still have a lot to prove. I think I’m still hopefully just scratching the surface, and still like to think I want to accomplish a lot, and I think with the team I want to accomplish more. Obviously, we’ve only been in the playoffs once, and only been in the first round, so have to prove still a lot more at this level.

Q: Do you think this team is ready to take the next step?
A: I believe we have a great group of guys in here, we got great character, we got guys that are pushing each other, motivated. … I think last year was a great experience for us to learn from that, not even just the playoffs, but just what it takes to get there, and kinda what we went through, ups and downs, and now I think we can kinda handle anything in stride, anything thrown our way good or bad, so I believe we do have the group to get us there and go further and want to get to the ultimate goal.

Q: What does it take to get to the ultimate goal?
A: I think we’re still finding some of that out. But I think what we learned last year, whether things are going well or things are going bad, we always have to just stick together, stick to the way we play, and trust each other. … There can’t be any doubt, and I really felt toward the end of last year, whether we down a goal in the third, we were up a goal, we were the ones dictating the play. We just went out there and got the job done. There were no questions asked, there was just a good sense of what everyone had to do and how that all came into the team concept together.

Q: Best NHL moment?
A: Probably playing in the playoffs. That was pretty special.

Q: Best moment in your hockey life?
A: Playing in the playoffs, and I guess winning a gold medal at the World Juniors is right there.

Q: Describe the Rangers rivalry.
A: I always say it’s probably the best in the NHL and one of the best in sports. You come to either one of our rinks and see half the fans cheering for the Rangers, half for the Islanders. There’s no atmosphere quite like it. And then obviously, the pace of play, the intensity’s always up a notch.

Q: Why Terry Fox?
A: To try to run across Canada, ocean to ocean, on one leg trying to battle cancer and raise money for cancer awareness, he’s pretty well-recognized across Canada for what he did and how far he got, and obviously, was unfortunate that he wasn’t able to make it, but was very courageous, and I know as Canadian, it’s something that you’re very proud of.

Q: Hobbies?
A: I like to read a little bit, watch certain TV shows, hang out with friends, go to movies, I like to play golf a lot in the offseason.

Q: How good are you?
A: I’m not great, my handicap’s like 12 or 13.

Q: Superstitions?
A: I guess the one that has always stuck with me and kinda started in Junior was to walk out to the rink. The rack, where everyone would put their sticks on ’em, would always get so full it would be too hard to put my stick on there, but the medical room is right next to it walking onto the rink, and I always put my stick in the medical room. So now, every time I tape my stick, I put it in the medical room wherever I play.